1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for computing a vehicle path by considering satellite communication channel states, and particularly, to an apparatus and method for computing a vehicle path by considering satellite communication channel states, capable of acquiring an optimum communication channel from a starting point to a destination by considering electric wave characteristics on a set path.
2. Background of the Disclosure
A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is a system for location-tracking with respect to an object on the earth using an artificial satellite network, which includes GLONASS, Galileo Project, GPS, etc.
In a downtown area, buildings around a user form a low receiving sensitivity with respect to satellite signals. This may cause some satellite signals not to be received. However, even if specific satellite signals are in a blocked state due to the buildings, multi-path signals reflected by other peripheral buildings can be received.
Especially, in an area concentrated with high buildings, satellite signals of which visibility cannot be acquired due to buildings are frequently received. As a result, a receiver inaccurately calculates a distance between satellites and a user, thereby providing the user with location information having a large error. Under such satellite communication channel state, a position accuracy is degraded to cause a limitation in searching for an optimum path.
A technique for compensating for an error occurring between a satellite and a receiver may include a technique for preventing mutual interference through a vertical conversion in a parity space, a technique for determining a multi-path according to whether a received satellite signal is normal or not, a technique for analyzing a dilution of precision (DOP) of a downtown area using 3D geographical information and orbital information of a navigation satellite, a technique for changing a path into a road of low congestion, and a technique for compensating for a common error of GPS signals.
Such techniques have been used to detect a malfunction inside a receiver, to search for an out-of-order signal based on source data inside the receiver, to provide traffic information or signal light information rather than position reliability, or to compensate for a common error. However, an error due to multi paths occurring in a downtown area is not an error occurring from a GPS receiver. Therefore, there is a difficulty in enhancing positioning accuracy with such techniques.
The conventional location information-based navigation system sets a guidance path under a condition such as a shortest path or a shortest time, when calculating a path from a starting point to a destination. In some mobile communication-based navigation systems, a path is calculated by considering traffic on the path.
However, in the conventional path computation method, a satellite communication channel state of a corresponding path is not considered. As a result, in a dangerous area where satellite signals are not received, or in a downtown area concentrated with high buildings, a receiving sensitivity with respect to satellite signals may be degraded.
Especially, in the domestic area of which 70% is a mountainous area, a receiving sensitivity and a receiving level with respect to satellite electric waves greatly influence on a driving path of a vehicle (vehicle path). Further, if a user drives a vehicle while being provided with information on a path where a receiving sensitivity with respect to satellite signals is low, the user may not be continuously provided with the information. In a worse case, the user may not arrive at a destination on time, or may get lost in a strange place.
Accordingly, an apparatus for computing a vehicle path, capable of searching for a path where a communication channel more than a prescribed receiving sensitivity is acquired, is required.